Timeless Ties || Volturi Kings

34. Above The Sun

I can't help you
No one can tread this journey in your place
I wanted to persist
But the path only exists when you traverse it

— Skank (adapted translation from Acima do Sol)

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Alessia angrily tossed aside Aro's leather bracelet along with the other reminders from the past, refusing to even glance in their direction before doing what needed to be done.

Alessia was going to place those things somewhere else.

Contrary to her previous decision, Alessia no longer wanted to deal with those items in her bedroom, not even as a form of therapy of exposure. Her bedroom was her most sacred and safe space in her apartment, much like her bedrooms in all her previous houses had been. Alessia's room was her own sanctuary, and although she had once felt comfortable having those items nearby, she was no longer willing to allow it.

To her, Caius' relief stone, Marcus' fan, and Aro's leather bracelet were merely symbols of painful memories, nothing else. She couldn't understand why she had permitted these items to remain, thinking they represented meaningful memories, when in fact, all those memories were fabricated and false.

Alessia only refused to discard them because, despite Marcus, Caius, and Aro being unpleasant individuals who likely gave the gifts to manipulate her or foster guilt, the items themselves dated back to 1300 BC. Alessia could never bring herself to destroy ancient artifacts simply out of anger or spite towards their makers.

That being said, Alessia couldn't merely stow them away in a box somewhere either, considering their antiquity. She feared that factors like humidity, lack of sunlight, or excessive exposure could damage these ancient items. Hence, finding another place in her apartment — a location that held less significance for her — seemed like the most appropriate solution.

First, Alessia attended to all her morning tasks,  ̶d̶i̶s̶t̶r̶a̶c̶t̶i̶n̶g̶ ̶h̶e̶r̶s̶e̶l̶f̶,̶ including having breakfast and taking medicine, as she was quite certain she was coming down with a cold — her runny nose making it clear. Once these were completed, she turned her attention to deciding where exactly she could relocate the items.

The kitchen table was out of the question due to the grease and heat, making it unsuitable for anything. The laundry area was also not an option due to the lack of suitable space and the risk of moisture. This left Alessia with a choice between the living room and the corridor. After pondering over her options, she realized the corridor wouldn't work because the table at the end was too small to accommodate all three items. As a result, the living room emerged as the sole viable location for relocating.

In the living room she could either place the artifacts on the tiny center table, which currently held a few books, or she could place them in the TV stand where some of her other books and framed photos were stored. After careful consideration, Alessia opted to place them in the TV stand because the likelihood of accidentally bumping into it and causing damage was almost negligible.

Alessia began by removing some books to create space. She decided to relocate them, including her Percy Jackson and The Kane Chronicles box sets, to the table in her bedroom instead. With the space cleared, she picked up Caius' relief stone and carefully wiped away any dust from its surface. Seeing that it remained in the same condition as when she first brought it with her, she was reassured that she hadn't inadvertently damaged it. Alessia then placed the stone on the right side below the television, positioning it closer to the junction of two walls where the likelihood of anything, including herself, coming into contact with it was minimal.

Next, Alessia placed Marcus' fan beside Caius' relief stone. She noticed that the fan was not in the same pristine condition as when she first acquired it, likely due to the materials used in its construction — plants that were gradually deteriorating over time. However, the fan had not yet significantly deteriorated, so Alessia decided to leave it where it was. She reasoned that if the condition worsened in the future, she could explore options like having it preserved in resin to prevent further deterioration. In front of Marcus' fan, Alessia positioned the quartz bee, arranging both items neatly.